As Australia began enforcing a world-first social media ban for youngsters below 16 years outdated this week, Denmark is planning to observe its lead and severely prohibit social media access for young people.
The Danish authorities introduced final month that it had secured an settlement by three governing coalition and two opposition events in parliament to ban access to social media for anybody below the age of 15. Such a measure can be essentially the most sweeping step but by a European Union nation to restrict use of social media amongst teenagers and kids.
The Danish authorities’s plans may change into legislation as quickly as mid-2026. The proposed measure would give some mother and father the proper to let their kids entry social media from age 13, native media reported, however the ministry has not but totally shared the plans.
Many social media platforms already ban kids youthful than 13 from signing up, and a EU legislation requires Huge Tech to place measures in place to guard younger folks from on-line dangers and inappropriate content material. However officers and consultants say such restrictions don’t at all times work.
Danish authorities have stated that regardless of the restrictions, round 98% of Danish kids below age 13 have profiles on at the least one social media platform, and virtually half of these below 10 years outdated do.
The minister for digital affairs, Caroline Stage, who introduced the proposed ban final month, stated there may be nonetheless a session course of for the measure and several other readings in parliament earlier than it turns into legislation, maybe by “mid to finish of subsequent yr.”
“In far too a few years, now we have given the social media platforms free play within the enjoying rooms of our youngsters. There’s been no limits,” Stage stated in an interview with The Related Press final month.
“Once we go into the town at night time, there are bouncers who’re checking the age of younger folks to be sure that nobody underage will get into a celebration that they’re not alleged to be in,” she added. “Within the digital world, we don’t have any bouncers, and we positively want that.”
Combined reactions
Below the brand new Australian legislation, Fb, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X and YouTube face fines of as much as 50 million Australian {dollars} ($33 million) in the event that they fail to take cheap steps to take away accounts of Australian kids youthful than 16.
Some college students say they’re anxious that related strict legal guidelines in Denmark would imply they may lose contact with their digital communities.
“I personally have some buddies that I solely know from on-line, and if I wasn’t fifteen but, I wouldn’t have the ability to discuss with these buddies,” 15-year-old pupil Ronja Zander, who makes use of Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok, informed the AP.
Copenhagen highschool pupil Chloé Braveness Fjelstrup-Matthisen, 14, stated she is conscious of the adverse impression social media can have, from cyberbullying to seeing graphic content material. She stated she noticed video of a person being shot a number of months in the past.
“The video was on social media all over the place and I simply went to highschool after which I noticed it,” she stated.
Line Pedersen, a mom from Nykøbing in Denmark, stated she believed the plans have been a good suggestion.
“I believe that we didn’t actually notice what we have been doing once we gave our youngsters the phone and social media from after they have been eight, 10 years outdated,” she stated. “I don’t fairly suppose that the younger folks know what’s regular, what’s not regular.”
Age certificates doubtless a part of the plan
Danish officers are but to share how precisely the proposed ban can be enforced and which social media platforms can be affected.
Nevertheless, a brand new “digital proof” app, introduced by the Digital Affairs Ministry final month and anticipated to launch subsequent spring, will doubtless kind the spine of the Danish plans. The app will show an age certificates to make sure customers adjust to social media age limits, the ministry stated.
“One factor is what they’re saying and one other factor is what they’re doing or not doing,” Stage stated, referring to social media platforms. “And that’s why now we have to do one thing politically.”
Some consultants say restrictions, such because the ban deliberate by Denmark, don’t at all times work they usually may infringe on the rights of youngsters and youngsters.
“To me, the best problem is definitely the democratic rights of those kids. I believe it’s unhappy that it’s not taken extra into consideration,” stated Anne Mette Thorhauge, an affiliate professor on the College of Copenhagen.
“Social media, to many kids, is what broadcast media was to my era,” she added. “It was a manner of connecting to society.”
Presently, the EU’s Digital Providers Act, which took impact two years in the past, requires social media platforms to make sure there are measures together with parental controls and age verification instruments earlier than younger customers can entry the apps.
EU officers have acknowledged that imposing the rules aiming at defending kids on-line has confirmed difficult as a result of it requires cooperation between member states and plenty of sources.
Denmark is amongst a number of nations which have indicated they plan to observe in Australia’s steps. The Southeast Asian nation of Malaysia is predicted to ban social media account s for folks below the age of 16 beginning in the beginning of subsequent yr, and Norway can also be taking steps to limit social media entry for youngsters and teenagers.
China — which producers most of the world’s digital units — has set limits on on-line gaming time and smartphone time for teenagers.
—James Brooks, Related Press
